A Narrative of the Expedition to Botany-Bay eBook

Among other public buildings, I had almost forgot
to mention an observatory, which stands near the middle
of the town, and is tolerably well furnished with
astronomical instruments. During our stay here,
some Spanish and Portuguese mathematicians were endeavouring
to determine the boundaries of the territories belonging
to their respective crowns. Unhappily, however,
for the cause of science, these gentleman have not
hitherto been able to coincide in their accounts, so
that very little information on this head, to be depended
upon, could be gained. How far political motives
may have caused this disagreement, I do not presume
to decide; though it deserves notice, that the Portuguese
accuse the Abbee de la Caille, who observed here by
order of the King of France, of having laid down the
longitude of this place forty-five miles too much
to the eastward.

Until the year 1770, all the flour in the settlement
was brought from Europe; but since that time the inhabitants
have made so rapid a progress in raising grain, as
to be able to supply themselves with it abundantly.
The principal corn country lies around Rio Grande,
in the latitude of 32 deg south, where wheat flourishes
so luxuriantly, as to yield from seventy to eighty
bushels for one. Coffee also, which they formerly
received from Portugal, now grows in such plenty as
to enable them to export considerable quantities of
it. But the staple commodity of the country is
sugar. That they have not, however, learnt the
art of making palatable rum, the English troops in
New South Wales can bear testimony; a large quantity,
very ill flavoured, having been bought and shipped
here for the use of the garrison of Port Jackson.

It was in 1771 that St. Salvador, which had for more
than a century been the capital of Brazil, ceased
to be so; and that the seat of Government was removed
to St. Sebastian. The change took place on account
of the colonial war, at that time carried on by the
Courts of Lisbon and Madrid. And, indeed, were
the object of security alone to determine the seat
of Government, I know but few places better situated
in that respect than the one I am describing; the
natural strength of the country, joined to the difficulties
which would attend an attack on the fortifications,
being such as to render it very formidable.

It may be presumed that the Portuguese Government
is well apprized of this circumstance and of the little
risque they run in being deprived of so important
a possession, else it will not be easy to penetrate
the reasons which induce them to treat the troops
who compose the garrison with such cruel negligence.
Their regiments were ordered out with a promise of
being relieved, and sent back to Europe at the end
of three years, in conformity to which they settled
all their domestic arrangements. But the faith
of Government has been broken, and at the expiration
of twenty years, all that is left to the remnant of
these unfortunate men, is to suffer in submissive
silence. I was one evening walking with a Portuguese
officer, when this subject was started, and on my
telling him, that such a breach of public honour to
English troops would become a subject of parliamentary
enquiry, he seized my hand with great eagerness, “Ah,
Sir!” exclaimed he, “yours is a free country—­we"!——­His
emotions spoke what his tongue refused.